Thanks to cooler temperatures, those of us who are desert-dwellers can finally come out of the air conditioning and enjoy the great outdoors again.
Being back in season means the return of outdoor events—and for a few of them, some training may be involved.
• The Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge 6k takes place at 6:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 19. Participants start at the Tram Road gate near the Palm Springs Visitor Center and climb 3.7 miles, with roughly 1,800 feet of elevation gain, to the finish at the bridge just below Valley Station. Registration (which costs $54 for adults in advance) is open until race day. Get more details and register at tramroadchallenge.com.
One week later, on Saturday, Oct. 26, the DAP Health Equity Walk takes place at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs. Thousands will come together and “Walk Out Loud” to the slogan of “Because Health Care is a Human Right.” This popular fundraising event, sponsored by the Desert Care Network, is family- and pet-friendly. This event includes a Health and Wellness Village sponsored by Walgreens; it opens at 7:30 a.m., with the walk starting at 8:45 a.m. The proceeds support the diverse individuals served by DAP Health across 25 locations from the Coachella Valley to the San Diego coast. The walk is about three miles through beautiful Palm Springs and back to the park. You can walk as a team or individually; learn more and register at HealthEquityWalk.org.
• The following week, from 8 to 10 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, is the Palm Springs Pride 5K Run and Walk. Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities come together to raise funds for local LGBTQ+ organizations and promote inclusivity in our community and sports. This annual event is hosted by the Palm Springs Front Runners and Walkers (psfr.org), a local chapter of International Front Runners, an informal network of LGBTQ running groups around the world. Since 2016, the Palm Springs Pride 5K Run and Walk has raised more than $200,000 for local charities.
The run and walk begins at the intersection of West Chino Drive and Belardo Road before meandering through the beautiful and historic Old Las Palmas neighborhood. The beautiful, mostly flat, 3.1-mile course is on paved streets. There will be volunteers on the course to cheer you on and keep you moving in the right direction. To learn more, view the course map and register (for $40), visit www.palmspringspriderun.com.
• A great place to enjoy outdoor activities in the eastern Coachella Valley during the fall and winter months is Lake Cahuilla Veterans Regional Park. This serene “hidden gem” is a 710-acre park located near La Quinta, at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It’s owned by the Coachella Valley Water District and operated by RivCoParks (Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District). It’s six miles southeast of Old Town La Quinta.
Lake Cahuilla, a 135-acre lake, offers camping, and it has an easy 2.4-mile scenic path around the lake, called the Lake Cahuilla Park Trail, with magnificent vast views of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed and are not allowed to swim in the water. For more information—including activities, park hours, camping reservations, fee schedules and more—visit rivcoparks.org.
Lake Cahuilla is the starting point of the only Ironman here in the Coachella Valley: the Ironman 70.3 Indian Wells-La Quinta.
Lake Cahuilla is the starting point of the only Ironman here in the Coachella Valley: the Ironman 70.3 Indian Wells-La Quinta. Participants swim the cool, calm waters of Lake Cahuilla; bike a flat and fast course that includes the Thermal raceway; and run from the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens through the beautiful, lush golf course of the Indian Wells Golf Resort. All three elements provide spectacular views of the desert and surrounding mountains. This year’s event is slated for Sunday, Dec. 8.
A couple of my running buddies from the Los Angeles area come out and participate in this local Ironman every year, and they absolutely love it. One friend, Lisa Acosta, has been doing Ironman triathlons for more than 14 years, and since discovering this one in 2021, she hasn’t missed a year.
“It’s a fun year-end race to bond with my Tri club peeps. Even my coach joins us, and we all stay in the same timeshare condos that coach belongs to,” she said.
When Lisa first participated in 2021, she did it as an individual race, but since 2022, her club has created relay teams where they race each other, which makes it more fun.
I asked Lisa to tell me about her favorite part of the race: “It’s the bike ride, which starts after the swim in Lake Cahuilla and travels across picturesque flat county roads before hitting the Thermal raceway, which is a lot of fun to do. Then we head through the city of La Quinta on our way toward the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens, which is where the bike ride ends, and the run starts, and the race ends. … (It’s) a nice venue to end a triathlon indeed!”
I won’t be participating in this year’s Ironman, but I’ll probably be out there supporting my friends—and I’ll definitely be participating in some of these other events. It’s a good time to get out and enjoy the cooler weather that our desert has to offer this time of the year—and to get some needed exercise. Don’t forget to make it FUN!
Just remember: Even though it’s cooler, we’re still in the desert, and we need to stay hydrated. Bring more water than you will need—at least a liter of water for every hour. Wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses!
